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Toilet Training.

Originally Posted by deedublin

I need help with something. We have a 16 week old King Charles Spaniel. We have her about 3/4 weeks, but is not getting the training at all. We started off paper training her in the house, she will wee on the paper, but the pooh always is on the tiles.

No matter how much we watch her, it is always when you are attending to the kids or working that it happens.

First, order How to Housetrain Your Dog in Seven Days by Shirlee Kalstone, a classic guide to housetraining.

Second: I strongly advise skipping the papers altogether and start to take her outside, on the lead, at regular intervals (because otherwise you have to housetrain TWICE -- first to papers, then to outside. Why bother with papers? ). If you want to successfully housetrain her, you are going to need to keep her under your eye at ALL times, never let her run around out of sight, and she should always be 1) on a lap; 2) within reach or 3) in a crate if you are crate-training, so that she never ever has the opportunity to go inside amd if she starts, you can grab her and get her outside to finish. Most puppies need to pee and poop first thing in the morning, then at about 1-2 hour intervals, after playing, and after a nap. never punish for going inside -- just vow to be faster and keep a closer eye next time. These are just babies and they don;t know any better; it's our job to teach them that it is good to go outside! (eg treat with a small bit of cheese or hotdog as soon as she finishes and praise praise praise). I find the better the treat (eg a hotdog) the faster they get the idea!

This is from Dee Ganley, an excellent US trainer (who will be back in Dublin soon, doing a seminar at Dog Training Ireland... HIGHLY RECOMMENDED to anyone in Ireland or the UK! More info from Dogtrainingireland.com; anyone coming from the UK, we can help sort hotels or B&Bs. You will learn so much about dogs and training and this is such fun. You don't actually bring your own dog.

Back to housetraining: this is a pdf so will be downloaded to your computer:

I wouldn't put papers down if you are going out, I'd crate the puppy. If you cannot be back with an hour or two then maybe use papers but don;t crate. eevery time you use papers or allow the puppy to go inside that's one small step backwards though -- another chance for the puppy to be confused about where it is supposed to go. As a rule of thumb puppies can hold themselves for about one hour per month of age (except at night -- because they are asleep their bladder isn;t stimulated and though at first they will likely need to be taken out in the middle of the night, by about 3-4 months they can ususally last the night).

Toilet Training.

Hi Donna,

Molly is a Cavalier. We are having great fun at the moment with the Toilet Training, I know it will all be worth it in the end. It's amazing how quick they cop on to going in and out of the house and of course the treats. She is looking at my hand all the time to see what I have. We are still having a few accidents in the house, especially at night, but she is doing well.